“Doctors don’t have the training or the tools to help what she’s going through.” – Matthew Stern

In this episode of Compound Wisdom, Steve Sood sits down with Matthew Stern, founder of MyStart Health, to break down what’s actually changing inside telehealth—and why GLP-1s are only the beginning.

Matthew shares how he spent 20 years building businesses through digital marketing and full-funnel “customer journey” systems, then applied that same growth discipline to healthcare. He explains how MyStart scaled to 13,000 patients, why the business unexpectedly became 85% women (mostly 50+), and what he learned once he got deeper into the realities of doctors, pharmacies, and personalized medication protocols.

The conversation turns personal as Matthew describes his mom’s menopause experience, his wife’s postpartum hormone journey, and the recurring pattern many patients face: “your labs look great” while they still don’t feel right. From HRT and women’s hormone care to microdosing GLP-1s, blood work-driven longevity, and the “Wild West” of research peptides, this episode maps where modern healthcare is failing—and where telehealth is quietly heading next.

Takeaways

Access and affordability are the real bottlenecks in healthcare

MyStart scaled to 13,000 patients after launching last August

GLP-1s are expanding beyond weight loss into broader health use cases

Most of MyStart’s patients are women over 50 (about 85%)

Hormone health demand is rising, but many doctors aren’t trained for it

“Your bloodwork is fine” doesn’t always match how patients feel

High-cost concierge protocols create a massive gap in access

Microdosing GLP-1s is growing and isn’t only about losing weight

Blood work is the entry point to personalized longevity care

Some telehealth is “set it and forget it”—but follow-up changes outcomes

Research peptide sites can be risky compared to compliant pharmacy partners

Telehealth adoption is early—and Matthew sees 10–20x growth ahead

Chapters

00:01 Matthew’s 20-Year Growth Background (Digital Marketing + Customer Journey)

01:09 First Entry Into Telehealth (2015) and the “Lightbulb Moment”

02:20 Why He Went All-In and Acquired a Telehealth Platform

03:05 The GLP-1 Wave and Why the Industry Hasn’t “Evolved” Much

03:23 MyStart Growth: 13,000 Patients + What It Took to Get There

03:42 Early Startup Reality: Getting “Kicked” Until the Model Clicked

04:31 Why MyStart Became a Women-First Audience (85% Women, Mostly 50+)

05:56 HRT + Women’s Health: The Generational Impact of Past Medical Guidance

07:34 “Sorry, There’s Nothing We Can Do” — Mom’s Menopause Experience

08:04 Postpartum Reality: “Do I Get My Brain Back?” and the System Gap

09:24 The $6K–$8K Protocol Problem and Why Access Is Limited

10:34 Access + Affordability: $1,000–$1,400 vs $200–$300 per Month

12:10 GLP-1s Beyond BMI: Mental Health, Prevention, and Emerging Benefits

13:09 Microdosing GLP-1s: What People Miss (and Matthew’s Experience)

14:44 Blood Work + Longevity: Personalization as the Next Layer

16:30 Doctors Who “Check the Box” vs Doctors Who Actually Personalize Care

19:12 The Wild West: Research Peptides, Compliance, and Pharmacy Standards

22:19 Where Telehealth Is Heading in 2–5 Years (Cost Curves + New Meds)

25:12 Learning From Competitors: Pricing Models + Personalization Systems

26:35 The Question for the Next Guest: What Would You Change in Telehealth?